Sámi Reindeer Spring Migration

Join the Sámi herders and experience the reindeer on their annual spring migration, from their winter pastures inland to their summer calving and grazing areas on the coast. This adventure is a unique privilege, made available for the very few by Sámi families from Finnmark.

This trip is recommended for adventurous people who would like to do something truly unique, learn new skills and live life to the fullest. Age and gender set no limits — however, you must be in good physical shape. Much of the time is spent in the hands of the Arctic environment.

Season, terrain and weather

In the middle of April it is light almost 24 hours a day, the snow has started melting, and there are good opportunities for ice fishing on the numerous lakes we pass.

How we travel

The reindeer migration starts in the heartland of the Sámi culture and ends further north by the Arctic coast, where the reindeer have their summer grazing area and where they give birth to a new generation. You take part in this migration, take part in the daily work, and learn how the Sámi herd their reindeer. Taking part in the migration means you travel with the Sámi, like the Sámi — eating and sleeping like a Sámi herder. You live close to the reindeer and experience the old nomadic life of the Sámi people. You are put to work when necessary, leading the herd across the ancient and desolate Finnmark Plateau by snowmobile. You sleep in a lavvu (a Sámi tent) or in cabins, and are served traditional Sámi food.

In the press

This trip was honoured as one of the World's Best Guided Expeditions — a "Tour of a Lifetime" — by National Geographic Travel in 2014. The Rough Guide has also honoured our trip as one of the "Top 20 animal encounters", and it is mentioned in the Rough Guides book "Clean Breaks – 500 new ways to see the world" from 2009.

Read more in the Northern Norway tourist board's article about our migration trip, or in the Sámi tourism brochure for Northern Norway.

Good to know

If you do not have time for the whole migration, you can join us on the day trip, Reindeer Herder Experience.

Programme — an example

With the herd

The programme varies from trip to trip. As an example: you spend 6 days and 5 nights on the Finnmark Plateau with the reindeer. You leave your accommodation by car or snowmobile to link up with the herd and the herders, and follow the herd on its long migration across the plateau by snowmobile — a fascinating, barren and windswept landscape reaching as far as the eye can see. Here you have interesting natural experiences together with the Sámi, who love to share their knowledge, experience and wisdom of life with their guests; their fascination for nature and the free life is striking. Then we return to civilisation, a warm shower and dinner in a warm and cosy atmosphere.

Distance, and where you join the migration, vary from year to year and family to family. Accommodation before and after the migration can also vary, depending on where you start and end. It is worth considering staying some extra days for interesting activities in the area before or after the programme.

What is included on this tour is specified when you book — see the booking terms or simply ask us.